Inhaler mask



March 3, 1959 E. A. GALLEHER, JR

INHALER MASK Filed Dec. 28, 1954 INVENTOR. 524/5 4. 63oz 7% (LA-741 44rraezvsy United States Patent INHALER MASK Ellis A. Galleher, Jr.,Sarasota, Fla.

Application December 28, 1954, Serial No. 477,972 11 Claims. (Cl.128-146) My invention relates to face masks and more particularly to thetype used to supply oxygen, anesthesia or other gases to be inhaled by apatient.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide a face mask of theinhaler type which can easily and quickly be shaped to conform to thecontour of the patients face and to enable the portions of the mask en-I gaging the face of the patient to retain the shape imparted thereto aslong as desired in fitting the mask to the patient.

It is another important object of this invention to provide a mask ofthis type which affords a high degree of comfort in use and whicheffectively seals the mask to the face of the wearer against the loss ofgases such as oxygen or anesthesia gas supplied thereto when in use.

Another object of this invention is a mask of this type whch is ofextremely simple construction and which is durable in use and easilymanufactured.

A further object of the invention is a mask of the inhaler type having aface engaging portion which can be preshaped or molded by hand pressureto easily conform to the contours of a persons face in applying the samein use, and which will retain the mating contour shape imparted to itwhen disengaged from the face, if so desired.

Another object of the invention is a mask formed of rubber or othernon-porous material which can readily be molded into shape and which isprovided with a substantially annular recess or envelope housing amaterial pliable at normal temperature, such as molding vclay 'orsimilar pliable materials comprising relatively small particles movableover one another under light external pressure, disposed to engage theface of the wearer whereby the said face engaging portions maybe formedor molded to comfortably and sealingly conform to the contours of thepatients faceover the areas contacted by the mask.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a pliableplastic form-sustaining face-engaging rim for a mask of the typedefined.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparentas the following description of two embodiments thereof progresses,reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which like referencecharacters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an inhaler mask of the type describedlooking in the direction toward the interior of the mask;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line Z2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the mask similar to that shown in Figure2, but illustrating a modified form of the present invention; and

Figure 4 is a detail view in transverse section of a form-sustainingcell unit adapted to be inserted in and around the peripheral faceengaging portions of the mask, as illustrated in Figure 3.

Attempts have been made heretofore to increase the 2,875,759 PatentedMar. 3, 1959 comfort of wearing a mask, such as an anesthesia mask, byproviding an air cushion internally of the mask and which is adapted toengage the facial contours of the patient to which the mask is appliedbut such an air cushion at times has been found to be incapable ofproviding an effective seal between the mask and the face of the personwearing it because of the inability of the cushion to closely contactdeep depressions in a face contour in the area of the cushion.

In carrying out my invention as illustrated in the drawings, the mask,is indicated generally at 1 and is provided with an intake opening 2 anda nipple 3 by which a hose supplying gas to the mask is attached.

The mask body is preferably molded of a rubber or non-porous andflexible or resilient material and extends rearwardly from therelatively thick nipple walls at 3 toward the rearwardly disposed faceengaging peripheral portion indicated generally at 4, the connectingwalls between the face engaging portion and the nipple divergingrearwardly as at 5. These diverging walls are of less thickness than thewalls of the nipple but are sufficiently thick and rigid to sustain thegeneral shape of the mask body. The diverging walls terminate rearwardlyin a peripheral or marginal cell, envelope or recess formed within theouter rear walls 6 and the inner rear wall 7 which are preferablyintegral with the mask body and which may be joined together preferablyby vulcanizing, such as at 8.

The portion of the mask which fits generally across the bridge of thepatients nose is indicated at 9, while the cheek portions of the maskare indicated at 10 extending downwardly on opposite sides of the nosebridge portion and face in a diverging direction and then in aconverging direction as in Fig. 1, terminating in a lower chin portion11.

One of the primary objects of this invention is, as stated above, toprovide an anesthesia mask or inhaler mask which is characterized by aconstruction affording a very high degree of comfort to the patient whenthe mask is applied in use, thereby enabling the contacting surfaces ofthe mask with the cheek, nose and chin portions of the patients face toextend over a rather large area and in sealing relationship with thefacial surface of the patient, even where unusual contours areencountered.

In accordance with this invention and in order to provide a constructionwhich possesses the characteristics of comfort, simplicity ofconstruction, effective sealing of the mask against the patients face,thus preventing loss of gases supplied to the mask in use, I haveprovided means by which the face engaging portions of the mask mayeasily be molded by hand and by the application of light pressure toeffectively engage the patients face in sealing relation' Furthermore,by this invention, the mask when fitted to the contour of a persons facewill retain the impression of such contours in the mask as long as it isdesired, but on the other hand will permit the face engaging areas ofthe mask to be re-formed or molded by slight pressure to contours ofother faces to which the mask is applied.

Referring again more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown theperipheral cell, envelope or recess formed between the walls 6 and 7 asfilled with a pliable material 12 which possesses the ability of beingformed by relatively light pressure into contours complementary to thoseportions of the selected patients face engaged by the mask and whereinsuch pliable material will enable the face engaging walls of thecells 10to retain the contour imparted to it until such time as it is desired tochange such contour as when fitting the mask to another face. I find asone example of a desirable material that molding clay may be employedfor this purpose.

In Figs. 3 and 4, I have illustrated a modified form of this inventionwhich resides primarily in the provision of a cell insert indicatedgenerally at 13 and which comprises a container 14 adapted to beenclosed within the marginal cell or envelope formed between the walls 6and 7, as in the case of the modification shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Theinsert container is preferably formed of very thin sheet material suchas any suitable thermoplastic sheet material and is, of course, filledwith a pliable material such as molding clay or the like, as describedabove. By this construction, it will be seen that by enclosing thepliable material within a plastic container such as 14, the inner wallsof the rubber envelope of the mask will be protected against contactwith any excessive or deteriorating oils which might be present in thepliable material 12.

My invention also contemplates the provision of a face engaging rim orsection for a mask in which the rim or section is separably attached tothe mask at points around the mask and includes a container or envelopeof sheet material corresponding substantially to 14 in Fig. 4, the saidcontainer enclosing a pliable, kneadable material such as molding clay.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangement of parts of the invention without departing from the spiritthereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body molded to conformmarginally generally to the frontal contours of the human face, saidbody having an inlet opening and means in the marginal area of the maskbody whereby said area may be shaped to conform to the facial contoursin sealing relation thereto under the application of a light pressure,said means including a body of pliable material enclosed in the marginalportions of the mask and capable of retaining the impressed contour inthe marginal area after said pressure is released.

2. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body molded to conformmarginally generally to the frontal contours of the human face, saidbody having an inlet opening and means in the marginal area of the maskbody where by said area may be shaped to conform to the facial contoursin sealing relation thereto, said means including a body of selectivecontour retaining material moldable to the facial contours underrelatively light manual pressure.

3. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body molded to con-formmarginally generally to the frontal contours of the human face, saidbody having an inlet opening and means in the marginal area of the maskbody whereby said area may be shaped to conform to the facial contoursin sealing relation thereto, said means including a body of molding clayenclosed in the marginal portions of the mask.

4. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body having a gas inlet openingand a marginal envelope, engageable with the face of the wearer, and afiller in said marginal envelope to render the latter sufiicientlypliable to be shaped under light pressure to sealingly conform to thefacial contours with which it is engaged and to retain said conformitywhen said pressure is released.

5. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body having a gas inlet openingand a marginal portion engageable with the face of the wearer, saidmarginal portion comprising a marginal cell, and a pliable selectivecontour retaining material enclosed in said call.

6. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body having a gas inlet openingand a marginal portion engageable with the face of the wearer, saidmarginal portion comprising a marginal cell, and a filler in the cell,said filler comprising a casing of impervious thin sheet material and aselective contour retaining moldable material in said casing.

7. In a respiratory mask, a hollow mask body having a gas inlet Openingand a marginal portion engageable with the face of the wearer, saidmarginal portion comprising a marginal cell, and a filler in the cell,said filler comprising a casing of impervious thin sheet material and amass of molding clay enclosed in the casing.

8. A pliable contour forming face rim for a respiratory mask comprisingan envelope adapted to be carried by said mask at its rear peripheralportion, and a pliable, kneadable selective contour retaining materialwithin said envelope substantially filling the same.

9. A pliable facial contour responsive rim for respiratory maskscomprising an enclosed cell or envelope adapted to be carried by therear peripheral face portion of the mask, and a soft pliable filler insaid envelope characterized by its ability to mate the contour of theface to which it is applied under relatively light pressure and toretain the imparted mating contour when said pressure is released.

10. In a respiratory mask, a hollow stiff mask body having a relativelysoft marginal cell for engagement with the contoured surface of thewearers face, and a body of workable material within said cellcharacterized by its ability to be shaped by light pressure on the maskto bring the said marginal cell into mating and sealing contact with thefacial contour and to retain the imparted mating contour when saidpressure is released.

11. A facial contour responsive vconstruction for respiratory maskscomprising a marginal cell disposed along the rear facial portions of amask body for con tacting the face of the wearer, and a filler ofpliable material in said cell characterized by its ability to retain acontour set after said mask has been pressed under light pressure to theface of the wearer.

